“‘By God, we’re going back there, no matter what happens,’ said one of our crowd. ‘We can’t let our mates drown like rats!’
“So we landed most of our load and rowed back, as quickly and carefully as we could. We picked up eight of the crew, the first trip, and Cap’n Lowes and two officers, on the second. It was dangerous work, but twenty of us, in all, were saved, out of twenty-seven souls. When day dawned we saw the sea covered with fragments of the wreck.
“We were about twelve miles from the nearest island; we hadn’t a bite of food, and many of us had very little clothing on.
“We huddled on the rock, and all that day, the next night, and the next day, we waited for some ship to pass by and discover us. None came. The men nearly died from exhaustion, hunger, and thirst; some drank sea water, lost their minds, and threw themselves off the rock; others got unconscious and had to be tied down to the rock, in order not to be washed away by the seas. We tied them with whatever rags of clothing we could use for the purpose.
“Another night went by. In the morning, several of our number were missing, and others lay dead on the rock. Lowes was among the missing; he had gone raving mad. And finally, when we had lost all hope, I sighted a schooner standing directly down for us. Imagine our joy!
“Well, boys, to make a long story short, a boat from the schooner picked us up and we were taken aboard. They gave us water and food, a small portion at a time. They gave us clothes, for most of us hadn’t a stitch on our backs; and they treated us mighty white.
“No one who hasn’t been through such an experience can appreciate how horrible it is,” concluded Bowling. “But you lads have been life-savers to-night, and you must have had enough of adventures and hardships! How about comfortable bunks and a sound sleep?”
As they rolled themselves warmly in blankets a little later and settled down for a good night’s sleep, they appreciated that for the second time that spring they had had the great privilege not only of seeing, but of sharing the heroic work of life-saving crews.
As earnest Boy Scouts, these experiences meant to them a better understanding of the motto, “Be Prepared,” and filled them with a determination to acquire greater skill in all land and water accomplishments.
The next day being calm and sunny, the Arrow was hauled out and made ready to continue the cruise to Key West. Arrived there, Roy Norton bade his younger comrades a warm farewell and left them standing on the foredeck, waving their caps and cheering for him as he departed on his mission.